A motorist was allegedly brutally assaulted in an incident which left him fighting for his life in ICU. It was claimed that he was roughed up and manhandled by Nairobi county council askaris.
In a video tweeted by activist Boniface Mwangi and retweeted by the former presidential aspirant, Martha Karua, on Monday, October 7, the boda boda rider is seen lying helplessly on the floor.
The activist claimed that the rider had been roughed up in an alleged extortion attempt which went wrong.
"This is a video of a boda boda rider assaulted by police officers and county askaris today (Monday, October 7). Everyday Kanjo and police round up bike riders and extort them.
"They use violence to arrest them. The leaders they elected, are silent! No country for honest, hardworking Kenyans," Mwangi lamented.
Cliff Tosh, who claimed to be the rider's brother cried out to the governor, stating that his brother was fighting for his life and the poverty-stricken family had no means to finance for his medication.
"Mike Sonko, this is a heinous act committed by your askaris to my brother. A whole family is crying as he is in ICU. My mother has sold the only cow she had and she is on her way from Kitui at this hour to see her son.
"Why this bwana governor? Why kill for heaven's sake? My God!" Tosh tweeted.
However, Nairobi county communications director, Jacob Elkanah, denied that the governor or the county was notified of the incident and urged the family to take up the matter with City Hall.
"Matters of ridding the CBD of away motorbikes are handled by multiagency detectives. If the matter occurred let them come to city hall and file a complaint and we will give our investigation department the green light to zero in on the case.
"We are not aware of the case and Sonko has clearly stated his stand against hooliganism. He will swiftly act, upon being notified," Elkanah responded in a statement to Kenyans.co.ke newsroom.
Nairobi county has been strict on motorists who break traffic and county laws. However, riders have severally complained of harassment by police officers and county askaris.
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